Nokia Lumia 820 review: Windows Phone 8 runner-up

How does the cheaper version of the Lumia 920 stack up?

By Eric van BallegoieTuesday 19 February 2013 05:58

Introduction

At the start of this year Nokia launched its first Windows 8 phone in the shape of the Lumia 920, which also is their new flagship model. It's a very capable smartphone with a beautiful screen, optical stabilized camera and features wireless charging. It was not a cheap phone, however. Now Nokia has released the Lumia 820, which is a bit less advanced in some ways but also more affordable.

The Lumia 820 resembles the 920 a lot in terms of hardware. Both run on the same 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, supports both 3G and 4G LTE, and can be operated with gloves on. The Lumia 820 also has the same extensive software package, an area where Nokia distinguishes itself compared to the Windows Phone platform.

There are also differences obviously. The Lumia 820 has a lower-resolution display, its camera doesn't have optical stabilization, and it has less RAM. Does the price difference compensate enough for this, and how does the Lumia 820 compare to phones from HTC?